Study: Emerging brain computer interface can monitor and train attention in unmedicated ADHD children

Train­ing pro­gram improved inat­ten­tive symp­toms in chil­dren with ADHD (Healio Pediatrics):

“An 8‑week inter­ven­tion with a brain-com­put­er inter­face-based atten­tion train­ing pro­gram sig­nif­i­cant­ly improved inat­ten­tive symp­toms asso­ci­at­ed with atten­tion-deficit/hy­per­ac­tiv­i­ty dis­or­der in chil­dren aged 6 to 12 years, accord­ing to recent study results…“In our first study, we found that inter­ven­tion with a train­ing pro­gram involv­ing the [brain-com­put­er interface]-based atten­tion train­ing game sys­tem improved par­ent-report­ed inat­ten­tive symp­toms,” Lim and col­leagues said…“Since then, we have devel­oped a new ver­sion of the device that is sim­ple, uses dry EEG elec­trodes and is con­nect­ed by Blue­tooth to the com­put­er. A new game that could be cal­i­brat­ed based on the per­for­mance of the child was also devel­oped. In addi­tion, it was impor­tant to under­stand who would be the right can­di­dates to ben­e­fit from this approach.”

Study: A Brain-Com­put­er Inter­face Based Atten­tion Train­ing Pro­gram for Treat­ing Atten­tion Deficit Hyper­ac­tiv­i­ty Dis­or­der (PLOS ONE)

• Abstract: Atten­tion deficit hyper­ac­tiv­i­ty dis­or­der (ADHD) symp­toms can be dif­fi­cult to treat. We pre­vi­ous­ly report­ed that a 20-ses­sion brain-com­put­er inter­face (BCI) atten­tion train­ing pro­gramme improved ADHD symp­toms. Here, we inves­ti­gat­ed a new more inten­sive BCI-based atten­tion train­ing game sys­tem on 20 unmed­icat­ed ADHD chil­dren (16 males, 4 females) with sig­nif­i­cant inat­ten­tive symp­toms (com­bined and inat­ten­tive ADHD sub­types). This new sys­tem mon­i­tored atten­tion through a head band with dry EEG sen­sors, which was used to dri­ve a feed for­ward game. The sys­tem was cal­i­brat­ed for each user by mea­sur­ing the EEG para­me­ters dur­ing a Stroop task. Treat­ment con­sist­ed of an 8‑week train­ing com­pris­ing 24 ses­sions fol­lowed by 3 once-month­ly boost­er train­ing ses­sions. Fol­low­ing inter­ven­tion, both par­ent-rat­ed inat­ten­tive and hyper­ac­tive-impul­sive symp­toms on the ADHD Rat­ing Scale showed sig­nif­i­cant improvement…
• Con­clu­sion: Brain com­put­er inter­face based atten­tion train­ing game can be a poten­tial new treat­ment for ADHD. A ran­dom­ized con­trolled tri­al to study the effi­ca­cy of this inter­ven­tion and the neur­al mech­a­nisms under­ly­ing the behav­ioral improve­ments is cur­rent­ly under­way. It rep­re­sents a nov­el treat­ment modal­i­ty for ADHD, which not only has the poten­tial for being used in com­bi­na­tion with present evi­dence-based treat­ment, but also unique­ly in a non-clin­i­cal setting.

To Learn More:

• Biofeed­back now a “Lev­el 1 — Best Sup­port” Inter­ven­tion for Atten­tion &Hyperactivity Behaviors
• New Review of Neu­ro­feed­back Treat­ment for ADHD — Cur­rent State of the Science
• Adap­tive Work­ing Mem­ory Train­ing Can Reduce ADHD-relat­ed Off-Task Behavior
• New Study shows Teens with ADHD helped by Cog­ni­tive Behav­ioral Therapy